Walter Mzembi reveals insights into Christopher Mutsvangwa’s dismissal as War Veterans Minister
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi has shed light on the reasons behind the sudden dismissal of Christopher Mutsvangwa, the Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs. The announcement of Mutsvangwa’s removal was made by Deputy Chief Secretary-Presidential Communications, George Charamba, without providing any specific reasons.
Mzembi took to social media platform X to offer his perspective on the matter, drawing from events that led to Mutsvangwa’s previous dismissal by former President Robert Mugabe in 2016. According to Mzembi, Mutsvangwa’s dismissal can be attributed to his perceived ungovernability and refusal to submit to the authority of the Cabinet and the President.
Mzembi recalled instances in 2016 when Mutsvangwa would engage in heated debates with Mugabe during Cabinet meetings, often pushing the boundaries to an embarrassing extent. It was during these moments that then-Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa would intervene and sternly command Mutsvangwa to silence himself. However, Mutsvangwa would defiantly leave the meeting in frustration.
Mzembi noted that while Mugabe encouraged open debates and valued the exchange of ideas, Mutsvangwa’s overbearing behaviour and inflated sense of knowledge often disrupted the proceedings. Disagreements primarily revolved around Mutsvangwa’s perceived influence over Chinese investments, which sometimes clouded his judgment.
The former Cabinet minister questioned whether the current crop of ministers possessed the resilience to withstand Mutsvangwa’s bullish behaviour without seeking the protection of President Mnangagwa. Mzembi highlighted that Mnangagwa had excluded Mutsvangwa from his Cabinet line-up in 2018 due to concerns about the disharmony he could bring to the team, instead appointing him as a Special Advisor. However, even that position proved to be unsuitable.
Mutsvangwa’s recent press conference, where he encroached upon other ministers’ mandates and declared his political ambitions, may have been the final straw leading to his dismissal. Mzembi suggested that Mutsvangwa’s outspoken and divisive communication style had caused rifts within the party and government. Consequently, his dismissal received popular support within the ranks of ZANU-PF.
It remains to be seen whether Mutsvangwa, who still holds the position of Party Spokesman for ZANU-PF, will continue to utilize it as a weapon against perceived enemies. Mzembi concluded by highlighting the need for Mutsvangwa to reflect on his actions before making his next move, as many are closely observing his future endeavours.
Said Mzembi:
“So many theories are being thrown around as to what may have led to Cde Chris Mutsvangwa’s abrupt dismissal by @edmnangagwa President Mnangagwa. I proffer my own based on what led to his dismissal by Mugabe in 2016.
“It’s simply that Chris is ungovernable and does not submit to the authority of anyone let alone the collectivity of Cabinet and the President. He is an all knowing man of many words who does not know when to mute himself.
“On several occasions inside Cabinet in 2016 , he would take on Mugabe to an embarrassing point where @edmnangagwa himself then Vice President would be the only one able to silence him with the strongest rebuke and I quote his bellow;
‘Chris , Chris I said shut up, shut up Chris, I am your Commander Chris I order you to shut up!’
“At this point Chris would pack his Cabinet file and leave in a huff!
“Mugabe believed in the superiority of ideas and would allow exhaustive debate on any item, but our brother Chris knowing it all , would roughshod over everyone at which point Mugabe would come in to exercise his authority as Chairman to restore order & decorum and the Minister of War Veterans would refuse to recognise that authority. Disagreements were mainly around the agency he seemed to carry over Chinese Investments which would often blind his judgement.
“Our Cabinet team had strong characters who could withstand and fight back, I wonder though whether the current pedigree of Ministers can withstand his bullish behaviour without seeking the protection of Mnangagwa, which may be the case here. Mnangagwa himself left him out of his Cabinet line up in 2018 because he was minding this disharmony he would bring in his new team. He instead appointed him Special Advisor but even this would not cut. It was a gamble from the very beginning bringing him back into Cabinet.
“Exploiting his parallel authority of @ZANUPF_Official Party Spokesman his last Press Conference last week was an intrusion into other Ministerial mandates and may have actually became his proverbial Waterloo. Going further to declare his ambition in his soliloquy he sealed his fate on that day!
“With his highly opinionated acerbic style of delivery clearly misrepresenting the collective he has been responsible for even how some of us have not found each other with our former Party.
“No wonder across the board his dismissal has been popularly received and secretly celebrated inside Zanu PF ranks and Government . I hope at personal level he has time for reflection on many things before his next move . He still is Party Spokesman @ZANUPF_Official and may keep it but clearly many are watching whether he will continue weaponising it against perceived and imagined enemies .
“Zanu PF isinjonjo…”
So many theories are being thrown around as to what may have led to Cde Chris Mutsvangwa ' s abrupt dismissal by @edmnangagwa President Mnangagwa. I proffer my own based on what led to his dismissal by Mugabe in 2016.
It's simply that Chris is ungovernable and does not submit… pic.twitter.com/Mlk7qRwSpg
— Dr Walter Mzembi (@waltermzembi) February 4, 2024
